Saturday, April 3, 2010

One Man's Terrorist is Another's Freedom Fighter

...apparently. I remember having this conversation about the IRA anyway, which is a conversation which has no end, but to my mind the question is could the status applied to them differ depending upon whether they achieved their end or not? Since the IRA haven't achieved their main aim to date they are, or were, deemed one or other of these depending on who you're speaking to. Same with the Von Stauffenberg plot to kill Hitler. Had it succeeded I wonder what we'd be calling Von Stauffenberg today.

Seth had a good approach to this two sides to the same coin here; a 'self help' book which doesn't help you is still a self help book. One which does is something far more than that, something we pass on to others, something which passes the re-read test, a friend for life, or whatever. I have these feelings about 'Man's Search for Meaning' by Viktor Frankl. SImilarly a salesperson who doesn't manage to sell us anything is just that, whereas if they do (usually something we were out looking to buy anyway) then they're enormously helpful.

So on that basis this is either yet another blog or...well, I think here the theory has reached the limits of its pamarameters..
Powered By Blogger